A protocol was developed to produce large amount of callus in short a period of time from leaf explants of Stevia rebaudiana Bert. The highest amount of white callus was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2.5 mg/l 2, 4-D and 0.5 mg/l BAP after 3 weeks of inoculating leaf segments. On the other hand, 0.5 mg/l BAP and 1.0 mg/l Kn exhibits poor performance towards callus formation while after using 1.0 mg/l Kn alone did not develop any callus. In this experiment, highest amount of green callus was obtained when MS medium supplemented with 2.5 mg/l NAA and 10% coconut water was used. An improved analytical method HPLC was applied to analyze stevioside extracted from the leaf and callus of Stevia rebaudiana. The stevioside in each sample were analyzed by comparing their retention times with those of the standards. The retention time (RT) of stevioside for leaves were found 14.96 and for callus 13.81 mins. The percentage of stevioside content from leaves and callus was 12.19% and 12.62% respectively Key words: Stevioside; Callus; Natural sweeteners; Growth regulators; Stevia rebaudiana; HPLC Available online at www.banglajol.info Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 49(4), [199][200][201][202][203][204] 2014 *Corresponding author: E-mail: trishansu@gmail.com (Mizukami et al., 1982, Nishiyama et al. Ahmed and Dobberstein developed an HPLC method for the determination of eight diterpene glycosides. Satisfactory resolution was achieved on two protein columns in series, after the plant material was extracted with chloroform prior to methanol extraction (Mizukami et al., 1982). Therefore, considering its scope and future need of planting material, the present study was undertaken to find out suitable concentration and combination of cytokinin (BAP) and auxins (NAA, 2, 4-D, Kn) for callus induction and development from leaf explants, to study the production of steviol glycosides in callus culture and to compare the amount of stevioside between induced callus and leaf tissue using HPLC. Materials and methodsThe experiment was conducted at Tissue Culture Section, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka Bangladesh. The experiment was performed in two phases. In the first phase, leaf segments of Stevia rebaudiana, as explants were cultured for callus induction on MS medium (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) supplemented with auxins (2,4-D, NAA) and cytokinin (BAP, Kn) at different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 mg/l ) and with 10% coconut water respectively. Regular visual observation was done up to five weeks to record the day of callus initiation and maturation. Then fresh weight of best calluses and fresh leaves were recorded.In the second phase of this study stevioside content was determined in the callus and leaf from which the callus was developed by HPLC method. The HPLC system was a SHIMADJU SPD-M20A chromatograph equipped with a binary pump and UV detection was at 219 am. The analytical column was RP-C18 (250 mm X 4.6 nm). Separation was performed with a water and methano...

Composition of fatty oil in two different varieties of banana peels Mausa Cavendis (sagar kola) and Mausa Sapientum (savrie kola) was determined. Percent fatty oil content was found as 7.5 in savrie and 10 in Sagar peels. Unsaponifiable matter, Iodine value, free fatty acid contents and Saponification value were also determined for both the samples. It was observed that the linoleate content (2.74) in sagar variety is slightly higher than savrie variety (2.41), but the palmitate contents were found as 12.55 and 13.86, stearate contents 2.62 and 4.57 in Sagar and Savrie variety respectively. Key words: Oil; Saponification value; Iodine value; Banana; Peel DOI: 10.3329/bjsir.v45i4.7387 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 45(4), 393-396, 2010

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field laboratory, Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi to study the yield and yield components of wheat as affected by phosphorus fertilization. The experiment consisted of two factors i.e. (i) three wheat varieties viz., Shatabdi, Bijoy and Prodip and (ii) five levels of phosphorus viz. 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1. A RCBD design was used for the experiment with three replications. The effect of variety was significant on all the yield components and yield except plant height. Prodip gave the highest grain yield (3.67 t ha ) is the best for obtaining higher yield of wheat.

Natural plant growth stimulants play important roles in triggering growth and boosting economic yield of crops. A field experiment was conducted at Soil Science Field Laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during Rabi season in order to investigate the effect of moringa leaf extract (MLE) on growth, yield and nutritional quality of brinjal. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with four treatments and three replications. The treatments were T 1 (control), T 2 (MLE sprayed at 2 weeks after transplanting only), T 3 (MLE sprayed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after transplanting) and T 4 (MLE sprayed at 2 weeks and after every two weeks thereafter). The MLE was applied @ 25 mL plant -1 at different growth stages of brinjal as per treatments. The application of MLE significantly increased the growth and yield parameters such as plant height, shoot length, leaf number, fresh and dry weight of root and shoot, root length, number of flower and fruit, weight and length of the largest fruit and fruit yield. Among all the treatments, the growth and yield parameters were the best in T 4 treatment which produced the highest fruit yield of brinjal (31.6 t ha -1 ). The same treatment also improved the nutritional quality of brinjal as the content and uptake of macronutrients (N, P, K and S) by leaf and fruit increased significantly with higher application of MLE. Thus, MLE as a foliar spray at growth stages has the potentiality to improve the growth, yield and nutrition of brinjal.